Where: We will meet at the Peggy Crosby Center (348 S 5th St. Highlands) to carpool/caravan to the trailhead. Parking is available in the lot behind the Peggy Crosby Center building as well as along 5th St.

Activity Description: Join Yoga Practitioner and Somatic Therapist Ashlyn Miller for an evening slowdown, connecting with yourself, others, and nature to cultivate a felt sense of belonging. Our time together will include a slow sensory walk, somatic inquiry, gentle yoga and meditation, nature journaling, and story.

“Belonging is less a question that needs resolving, but a relationship we cultivate with the places we inhabit, through which we may discover a profound connection to the world around us.'“ -Gabriela Gutierrez

Hiking Distance/Difficulty: We will move at a slow pace and hike approximately 1.2 miles roundtrip. The trail has approximately 200 feet in elevation change each way and includes uneven surfaces including rocks and roots. This hike is considered moderate.

What to Bring: Notebook and writing utensil, water, snacks, comfortable hiking shoes, and weather-appropriate clothing (the top of the mountain can be significantly cooler than surrounding areas). Please also bring sun protection and rain jackets in case of light showers.

In collaboration with HCLT.

“If we surrendered

to earth’s intelligence

we could rise up rooted, like trees.”

-Rainer Maria Rilke

Debuting as part of Bartram 250, Nature as Kin focused on our intrinsic connections to and reverence for our natural world, not as resource or commodity but something we are deeply enmeshed and in relationship with. In our second year exploring this gathering, we will be invited through the elements (earth, water, fire, air, space), to pause, remember, co-create, and continue nurturing a sense of belonging and place both within and around.

What to expect: 

A slow sensory meander down a gravel path for less than a mile, intentional poetry and prose to spark curiosity and deep remembrance, space for contemplative practice, and seasonal tea and snacks to conclude our time together. 

Please bring water, weather appropriate clothes and shoes, and a blanket or mat if you prefer not sitting on the ground. Expressive elements like a journal, watercolor, compact instrument, etc are also encouraged. 

An evening retreat into belonging, meaning, inspiration, and deep nourishment.

A collaboration between Inner Woven (Ashlyn Miller) and House of Fig (Madison Traviss) to deepen in relationship with ourselves, our rhythmic nature, each other, earth, and something bigger.

This 4-hour evening retreat is a beautiful opportunity to tune in and connect with the Autumn Equinox, yourself, and community through gentle movement and meditation, seasonally thematic writing + storytelling, time in nature (weather permitting), and a savory, locally prepared dinner (chickpea curry).

For those new here and returning participants, this event was birthed after a year of community story weaving workshops that felt like an initiation and invitation into something wider and more spacious.

To read more about the evolution of story weaving and how this came to be, visit our co-written piece “Weaving a Year”.

Why it matters?

The turning of the seasons mirror a shift within us as microcosms of the macrocosm. This understanding is not new, it is ancient, it is ancestral, it is intuitive. And to come into relationship with it by way of acknowledgement, feeling, inquiry, reverence, and gathering, is to remember our place in the greater web of things and to move forth from a place of rootedness, self-trust, and connection.

Why Goldenrod and Aster for a title?

Goldenrod and aster belong to the Asteraceae or daisy family and are a powerful pair providing nourishment, beauty, and support into late Autumn. They serve as a source of shelter and sustenance to native insects including, bumble bees, moths, butterflies, beetles, and more after many other plant species have flowered, providing the possibility for the continuation of life.

Madison and I hope for this evening retreat to serve as a source of support and sustenance as we cross the threshold of the Equinox, providing you with the opportunity to uncover and cultivate whatever it is you need for the continuation of your souls journey.

What to expect:

• A gentle movement and meditation practice rooted in the teachings of yoga and somatic experiencing to arrive and settle

• Story weaving as a communal journaling practice where participants will be given time to reflect and write on a shared word or phrase to cultivate connection and belonging

• Nature walk as a palette cleanser and time to integrate (weather permitting)

• Collage making (feel free to bring your own materials if you have stuff you’d like to use, otherwise we’ll have plenty of materials)

• Catered vegetarian dinner by local chef, Chloe, of Hilltop Pantry

• Closing ceremony

What is Story Weaving?

Story Weaving, as described by founder of Center for Story Weaving Ben Page, “is a simple yet powerful community-building practice where participants create a collective story—each adding their own perceptions, images, and memories. Unlike traditional one-way storytelling, this approach invites many voices into a single narrative, helping people see themselves in each other’s experiences…Wherever people come together to reflect, heal, or celebrate, Story Weaving creates belonging.”

Furthermore, stories have been a cultural touchstone since the dawn of humanity. Etched in prehistoric cave art, carried in the mythology and folk lore of times long past, and passed on in our DNA from those who came before us.

We are storied beings- carrying within us stories of resilience, wisdom, grief, pain, joy, love, and possibility.

What to bring?

• Something to write with and on (we’ll have some supplies in case you forget)

• Comfortable clothing and shoes to move and walk in

• Water

• Yoga mat (we will have a few extras)

Who is this for?

For folks who are desiring time, space, permission, and support to explore, connect, and deepen.

• Explore practices, rituals, and ways of being that integrate the cycles of nature and intelligence of the earth as orienting points on the souls journey

• Connect with yourself, others, and something bigger

• Deepen in a sense of belonging and meaning

Our time together will include:

• Gentle Yoga to gather, move and cultivate prana (life force)

• Somatic Experiencing tools for greater self awareness, integration, and ease

• Meditation for remembering and feeling the wider than to which we belong

• Poetry as muse, inspiration, and an orienting center

• Journaling to reflect, integrate, and uncover

• Togetherness because we were never meant to do it alone

“Unmixed attention is prayer” -Simone Weil

A collaboration between Inner Woven (Ashlyn Miller) & House of Fig (Madison Traviss) to deepen in relationship to our rhythmic nature.

It's been one year since our first community Story Weaving experience on Summer Solstice of 2025 :)! Thank you to everyone who has participated in these most regenerative gatherings- we couldn't have done it without you. Please join us in this spacious, three hour gathering as a full circle moment to come home to yourself, each other, and nature as the Sun casts a wide net of illumination on the longest day of the year.

Story weaving has become a beautiful opportunity to gather, express, and find ourselves rooted in the greater web of life. Through this experience, inner guidance, belonging, and growth naturally emerge.

Each of us has a unique way of seeing the world, which can lead to feelings of isolation, separateness, or "outsider". Creativity has the ability to connect us beyond the limitations of the mind. Through the act of creative expression (story weaving), we get to bring our inner world out, dissolving the barriers of separation, collaborating in a great remembering of what we have always known (Rubin, 2023).

What to expect: we'll begin by taking time to orient to the present moment, tune with the heart, and consider the seasonal wisdom at hand through a gentle somatic practice and guided meditation. Then we'll shift into story weaving, lacing words together as a community to tell an Solstice tale (think journaling practice). There will be time for a break, please feel free to bring snacks. Weather dependent, we may spend some time outside in inquiry and sensory exploration to deepen in relationship to the Summer Solstice. In conclusion, we will have time for an integration craft and closing share (block printing!).

What is story weaving?

A shared experience that allows each participant to reflect and share stories rooted in a shared word of phrase, find themselves in the stories of others, and weave those resonant words or phrases into their own woven writings.

What to expect?

Opening round: a word or phrase is shared and time is allotted for participants to reflect and write about said word/phrase. 

First share + first harvest: participants are invited to (but don’t have to) share their reflections on the shared word or phrase. As reflections are shared, participants are encouraged to make a note of what stands out to them, “arrows to the heart”. 

Weave harvested writings: individual time is allotted to weave together the words and/or phrases that stood out to them. 

Woven stories share: participants are invited to share and can jot notes again. 

Closing share: the weaving continues, how can you keep weaving your words with the world?

“Listen to all, plucking a feather from every passing goose, but follow no one absolutely.” - Chinese proverb

What to bring: wear something comfortable to sit and move in, water, snacks, a journal and pen, and yourself.

All of you is welcome and all bodies are welcome <3

Your facilitators:

Ashlyn Miller is a facilitator, educator, and therapist intern working at the confluence of mental health, holistic living, and spirituality to foster experiences of belonging, becoming, and being so that we may find ourselves rooted in the river of life.

Madison Traviss is a forest bathing guide and facilitator who stewards resilient spaces of curiosity to increase collective confidence, connection, and collaboration.

Location: Cowee School (51 Cowee School Dr, Franklin NC 28734), Room 101.

Classes are in the last room on the right of the hallway after entering the main entrance/double doors from the upper parking lot.

A collaboration between Inner Woven (Ashlyn Miller) & Refhygge (Madison Traviss) to commune with the Spring Equinox.

Story weaving has become a beautiful opportunity to gather, express, and find ourselves located in the greater web of life. Through this experience, guidance, belonging, and growth naturally emerge-

Each of us has a unique way of seeing the world, which can lead to feelings of isolation, separateness, or "outsider". Creativity has the ability to connect us beyond the limitations of the mind. Through the act of expressive arts and creativity (story weaving), we get to bring our inner world outward, dissolving the barriers of separation and collaborate in a great remembering of what we have always known (Rubin, 2023).

What is story weaving?

A shared experience that allows each participant to reflect and share stories rooted in a shared word of phrase, find themselves in the stories of others, and weave those resonant words or phrases into their own woven writings.

What to expect?

Opening round: a word or phrase is shared and time is allotted for participants to reflect and write about said word/phrase. 

First share + first harvest: participants are invited to (but don’t have to) share their reflections on the shared word or phrase. As reflections are shared, participants are encouraged to make a note of what stands out to them, “arrows to the heart”. 

Weave harvested writings: individual time is allotted to weave together the words and/or phrases that stood out to them. 

Woven stories share: participants are invited to share and can jot notes again. 

Closing share: the weaving continues, how can you keep weaving your words with the world?

“Listen to all, plucking a feather from every passing goose, but follow no one absolutely.” - Chinese proverb

The flow~ we'll begin by taking time to arrive and orient to the present moment before tuning in with the heart and seasonal wisdom through gentle somatics and meditation. Then we'll shift into story weaving, lacing words together as a community to tell an Equinox tale.

What to bring: wear something comfortable to sit in, water, a journal, and yourself.

Please feel free to bring a snack as class goes until 8pm and we will take a break halfway through.

All of you is welcome and all bodies are welcome <3

Your facilitators:

Ashlyn Miller is a facilitator, educator, and therapist intern working at the confluence of mental health, holistic living, and spirituality to foster experiences of belonging, becoming, and being so that we may find ourselves rooted in the river of life.

Madison Traviss is a forest bathing guide and facilitator who stewards resilient spaces of curiosity to increase collective confidence, connection, and collaboration.

Location: Cowee School (51 Cowee School Dr, Franklin NC 28734)

Classes are in the last room on the right of the hallway after entering the main entrance/double doors from the upper parking lot.

A collaboration between Inner Woven (Ashlyn Miller) & Refhygge (Madison Traviss) to commune with the Winter Solstice.

We'll start by arriving, orienting to the present, and tuning in with our inner knowing through gentle somatics and meditation and then swim into story weaving, lacing words together as a community to tell an Solstice tale.

What is story weaving?

A shared experience that allows each participant to reflect and share stories rooted in a shared word of phrase, find themselves in the stories of others, and weave those resonant words or phrases into their own woven writings.

What to expect?

Opening round: a word or phrase is shared and time is allotted for participants to reflect and write about said word/phrase. 

First share + first harvest: participants are invited to (but don’t have to) share their reflections on the shared word or phrase. As reflections are shared, participants are encouraged to make a note of what stands out to them, “arrows to the heart”. 

Weave harvested writings: individual time is allotted to weave together the words and/or phrases that stood out to them. 

Woven stories share: participants are invited to share and can jot notes again. 

Closing share: the weaving continues, how can you keep weaving your words with the world?

“Listen to all, plucking a feather from every passing goose, but follow no one absolutely.” - Chinese proverb

What to bring: wear something comfortable to sit in, water, a journal, and yourself.

please feel free to bring a snack as class goes until 8pm and we will take a break halfway through.

All of you is welcome and all bodies are welcome <3

Your facilitators:

Ashlyn Miller is a lover of all things wild, mystical, mythical, creative, and holistic. Her story and offerings traverse the inner and outer landscapes of what it means to be alive, interconnected, and empowered. As a holistic practitioner, she weaves the teachings of yoga, ayurveda, somatics, animism, story, and collective transformation into a felt experience through group and private sessions to nurture awareness, agency, and authenticity. It is her intention to co-create ripples of individual and collective transformation that bring us home to ourselves, each other, nature, and the mystery.

Madison Traviss is a forest bathing guide and facilitator who stewards resilient spaces of curiosity to increase collective confidence, connection, and collaboration.

A collaboration between Inner Woven (Ashlyn Miller) & Refhygge (Madison Traviss) to commune with the Autumn Equinox.

We'll start by arriving, orienting to the present, and tuning in with our inner knowing through gentle somatics and meditation and then swim into story weaving, lacing words together as a community to tell an Equinox tale.

What is story weaving?

A shared experience that allows each participant to reflect and share stories rooted in a shared word of phrase, find themselves in the stories of others, and weave those resonant words or phrases into their own woven writings.

What to expect?

Opening round: a word or phrase is shared and time is allotted for participants to reflect and write about said word/phrase. 

First share + first harvest: participants are invited to (but don’t have to) share their reflections on the shared word or phrase. As reflections are shared, participants are encouraged to make a note of what stands out to them, “arrows to the heart”. 

Weave harvested writings: individual time is allotted to weave together the words and/or phrases that stood out to them. 

Woven stories share: participants are invited to share and can jot notes again. 

Closing share: the weaving continues, how can you keep weaving your words with the world?

“Listen to all, plucking a feather from every passing goose, but follow no one absolutely.” - Chinese proverb

What to bring: wear something comfortable to sit in, water, a journal, and yourself.

please feel free to bring a snack as class goes until 8pm and we will take a break halfway through.

All of you is welcome and all bodies are welcome <3

Your facilitators:

Ashlyn Miller is a lover of all things wild, mystical, mythical, creative, and holistic. Her story and offerings traverse the inner and outer landscapes of what it means to be alive, interconnected, and empowered. As a holistic practitioner, she weaves the teachings of yoga, ayurveda, somatics, animism, story, and collective transformation into a felt experience through group and private sessions to nurture awareness, agency, and authenticity. It is her intention to co-create ripples of individual and collective transformation that bring us home to ourselves, each other, nature, and the mystery.

Madison Traviss is a forest bathing guide and facilitator who stewards resilient spaces of curiosity to increase collective confidence, connection, and collaboration.

A heart felt collaboration to honor, celebrate, and commune with the mid point [Lughnasadh] between Summer Solstice and Fall Equinox.

Join us for a wholesome gathering to tune in with the rhythms of the body and nature and engage in a holistic ritual to connect with your own inner knowing, wisdom of the natural world, and guidance from something bigger than yourself.

Inspired by yoga, meditation, ayurveda, animism, somatics, and tarot.

*The first hour of class will include a gentle yoga flow, meditation, and self-inquiry.

*The last 30 minutes will involve a collective tarot reading inspired by the rhythms of nature, time for reflection, and integration.

*Things to bring: a journal, yoga mat, preferred props, (I have a limited number of blocks/bolsters/blankets that you are welcome to use), water, and anything you would like to put on the altar during practice (totems, talismans, offerings).

*If you are new to tarot or unsure about it, that’s okay- consider this part of class an opportunity to collectively engage with a holistic theme or motif as a group for inspiration and healing, deeper connection to yourself or/and something bigger than you, and a sense of belonging in your journey.

***please pre register as spots are limited***

Your facilitators: Ashlyn Miller (holistic practitioner & creative) and Amanda Drozd (writer & intuitive)

[It is our intention to share and guide practice from a place of presence, compassion, and connection, empowering you to be more of you and more robustly situated in life <3]

Friends with the Forest is hosting an inaugural family-friendly event to bring the Bryson City community together to celebrate a healthy, compassionate, & regenerative summer. While we were originally coordinating Great Smoky Mountain Veg Fest, the event needed to be restructured. Friends with the Forest Welcome Party is a free event featuring Earth-friendly vendors, plant-based food & beverages, free food samples, live music & entertainment, a meditation & movement class, fundraising for animal rescue, and a nature trail to explore! 

https://www.friendswiththeforest.com/welcome-party

A collaboration between Inner Woven (Ashlyn Miller) & Refhygge (Madison Traviss) to celebrate the Summer Solstice.

We'll start by arriving, orienting to the present, and tuning in with our inner radiance through gentle somatics and meditation and then swim into story weaving and lacing words together as a collective to tell a Solstice tale.

What is story weaving?

A shared experience that allows each participant to reflect and share stories rooted in a shared word of phrase, find themselves in the stories of others, and weave those resonant words or phrases into their own woven writings.

What to expect?

Opening round: a word or phrase is shared and time is allotted for participants to reflect and write about said word/phrase. 

First share + first harvest: participants are invited to (but don’t have to) share their reflections on the shared word or phrase. As reflections are shared, participants are encouraged to make a note of what stands out to them, “arrows to the heart”. 

Weave harvested writings: individual time is allotted to weave together the words and/or phrases that stood out to them. 

Woven stories share: participants are invited to share and can jot notes again. 

Closing share: the weaving continues, how can you keep weaving your words with the world?

“Listen to all, plucking a feather from every passing goose, but follow no one absolutely.” - Chinese proverb

What to bring: wear something comfortable to sit in, water, a journal, and yourself.

All of you is welcome and all bodies are welcome <3

Your facilitators:

Ashlyn Miller is a lover of all things wild, mystical, mythical, creative, and holistic. Her story and offerings traverse the inner and outer landscapes of what it means to be alive, interconnected, and empowered. As a holistic practitioner, she weaves the teachings of yoga, ayurveda, somatics, animism, story, and collective transformation into a felt experience through group and private sessions to nurture awareness, agency, and authenticity. It is her intention to co-create ripples of individual and collective transformation that bring us home to ourselves, each other, nature, and the mystery.

Madison Traviss is a forest bathing guide and facilitator who stewards resilient spaces of curiosity to increase collective confidence, connection, and collaboration.

Exploring an ethos of awareness, relationship, and wholeness through the more than human world- a much needed antidote to a culture of disconnect and dissolution. This offering will be both educational and experiential as we traverse the landscape of Bartram’s contemplative, relational, and mystic temperament as an invitation to remember the inherent dignity and interconnectedness of all of creation- a worldview inherent to indigenous wisdom and firmly rooted in the intelligence of nature.

Our time together will be a mixed media experience- infusing the lineages of forest bathing, yoga, somatics, and eco-spirituality. Please bring a journal, your curiosity, and love for the natural world.

*please note this is part of the Bartram Trail Conference and registration is through them*

Confluence- where roots meet rivers.

A 12 week series for tending the roots so that we can more fully, presently, and authentically be in the river of life.

This series will run May-August 2025, 2 times a week. Drop-ins welcome. Location: Cowee School.

We will have the opportunity to gather every Tuesday (10-11:15 am) and Thursday (6-7:15 pm) starting the week of 5/20/25 & concluding the week of 8/12/25.

Each practice will be an opportunity step into the river of your aliveness by tending the the roots of security, belonging, and dignity- all of which are necessary for living authentically and experiencing fulfillment.

We will explore this through embodied movement, mindfulness, meditation, journeywork, and journaling with influences from Yoga, Ayurveda, Somatics, Ecology, Animism, Holism, Trauma Responsive Care, and Liberatory Discourse. Movement will be a slow to moderate flow.

Together we will come home to what it means to live in connection with ourselves, others, nature, and the mystical.

Together we will explore and expand our capacity to be ourselves by nurturing our roots so that we can genuinely express and engage life.

Together we will begin to integrate life-depleting patterns held in the soma (the organism in its wholeness) and embody regenerative patterns that are life-affirming.

Together we will unravel the way oppressive systems have conditioned us to live inauthentically and therefore, build ways of being that unravel those systems.

Together we will grow more rooted and resilient and therefore, able to stay in the wise, flowing river of our aliveness; radiance.

The cycles of life flow and Beltane ushers in a richness

A juicy, sweet nectar to partake in

And be regenerated by.

We'll celebrate this cross-quarter celebration (half way point between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice) through embodied movement, mindfulness, and meditation, allowing the Beltane richness and fertility to seep into our bones, mind, and soul, enlivening our well-being, gifts, and dreams.

All levels welcome <3.

Join us for an intentional practice as we shift into Spring and welcome a new season of possibility, medicine, and gifts.

Spring Equinox marks the astrological transition from Winter to Spring; it is fertile ground; a time of balance as day and night become equal for a short time; an invitation to tend to the garden of the heart as seeds take root and days grow longer; an opportunity to regroup and refine how we walk the path of dharma (righteous duty).

In most authentic wisdom traditions and spiritual practices, the seasons were a reference point and compass for navigating our lived experiences and soul journey. In this practice we will explore the theme of dynamic balance, the sun archetype and what that means for your soul this time of year, the sacred commitments that live in your heart (dharma), and how to move forward from a place of resilience, empowerment, and grace.

This practice will include an intentional flow of slow movement, breath-work, mindfulness, dharma mudra, meditation, cacao ceremony, and somatic integration to nurture what you are growing into.

Ashlyn will be guiding the movement, meditation, and somatic integration portion of class and Narda will be facilitating the cacao ceremony and holding space.

If you are unfamiliar with the purpose of a cacao ceremony, Narda has shared a beautiful description:

Cacao has been used in the ceremonies of many ancient tribes long before we learned how to make chocolate out of it. It has many health benefits that have been proven by cacao takers to support our physical and energetic bodies. Cacao takes root from South and Central America where the ancient Mayan civilization occupied the Western land of the Andes Mountains. The aroma and magical benefits of the cacao trees captured the attention of the Mayan tribe. The ancient Mayans of Belize treated cacao as the “Food of the God” under the name “Theobroma cacao”. “Theo” stands for “food” and “Broma” stands for “God”.

Benefits of Cacao: heart opener, heightens meditation, nurtures creativity, elevates energy, clears the mind, cultivates peace.

About Narda:

Medicine Woman • Healer • Facilitator

Narda was born in Ecuador, as an Incan descendant her gifts come to light and her heart expands full of joy every time she gets to cultivate her daily Sun gazing/movement along with gentle yoga practices and meditation in Nature first thing in the morning. She is a Kambo Practitioner, tonic herb enthusiast, raw food/ vegan, and Ayurvedic advocate. Narda also regularly hosts cacao ceremonies with Origen cacao and Mandala chocolate.

Things to be mindful of: This medicine is non psychoactive. If you take heart medications or antidepressants be advised it might make your heart beat faster or (don’t intake ). It will may make you dehydrated a little bit so drink plenty of water before and after.

You do not have to ingest cacao to participate in this class, you can sit with its presence instead.

All levels welcome.

Donation-based (you can pay online when reserving your spot or you can select the option to pay later and pay in-person).

Spots limited.

Pre-registration encouraged so we know how much cacao to make.

An experiential ceremony of embodied movement, breath, mindfulness, and meditation to glean guidance and clarity from the threshold of Imbolc, which marks the halfway point between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox.

This celebration has been referred to by Danu Forest as a time of dreaming the dream; getting clear on what our dreams are so that we may sow them in the fertile soil of the coming days of Spring. And tending to the patterns and behaviors that hinder our dreams.

This pivotal point also closely aligns with the Hindu festival of Basant Panchami, which is a celebration of hope. As shared by my a dear teacher, Indu Arora: "Basant Panchami, celebrated 40 days before spring, is a beacon of hope. It’s a day awash in yellow – clothes, food, and flowers. Yellow symbolizes wisdom, blooming mustard fields, and a student’s mindset. This festival marks the changing seasons and brings promises of: Blooming flowers, Sprouting seeds, Children playing outside, and Waves of happiness and warmth."

Our time together will be inspired by the notion of dreaming the dream, hope, and starting to unravel the patterns and beliefs that thwart our heartfelt desires.

Technically, Imbolc is celebrated around the New Moon, which took place on 1/29/25 (I initially made a mistake on this date), however, it is my understanding that the days following these thresholds carry a reverberation of the energy and have their own potency as the seeds of change take root.

It'll be a bit mythical, magickal, and embodied to bring the wisdom of what's here now to the forefront so that it may be blessed by the Cailleach and Brigid; so that sustenance, hope, and patience may find you and nurture your sense of self, connection, capacity.

Some of the things we'll be exploring through yoga, meditation, ritual, and somatic healing are:

*self-forgiveness (Native American author Jamie Sams states: "Forgiveness and the release of the past open the creative flow of life, supporting all levels of mind, heart, body, emotion, and spirit. This energy flow determines the state of our health, our desire to create and procreate, our willingness to develop our gifts, and how we use or deny the life force that we are given as human beings. . . . by choosing to let go of the past, our fears, and our negative patterns or reactions to life, we are suddenly funded with a resurgence of life force, which propels us into a newfound way of being and a very different way of understanding the world."

*merging the wisdom of past and future into presence through reflection, compassionate curiosity, and dreaming for guidance on what seeds are taking shape

*the pace of nature to support the germination of your intentions and goals

*fire divination (bring an unscented, undyed natural candle; if you don't have one you can visualize this practice using your creative imagination)

*connecting with the intelligence of your animal body, beginning to gently unravel knots that are ready to experience new life, and tasting the source of it all

"Ritual is how we braid ourselves back into the animate world. It calls the soul into participation, restores the old bone knowing and reminds us there is nothing that is not holy." -Gabriela Gutierrez

So, where yellow if you'd like, bring a journal, a candle, and a grounding object (stone, mala beads, picture, talisman, etc.).

All levels welcome.

Virtual only.

Zoom link will shared and a recording will be available to all who register.

***The fee for this class is $22, however I have left it open to sliding scale if there is a different price point that better meets your capacity (less or more).***

A Movement and Meditation practice marked by the New Year in the Gregorian calendar and the heart of the Celtic Omens days in the nature-based calendar of the ancients. Join me in a journey of embodied movement, breath, self-inquiry, soul, and spiritual exploration to savor the wisdom that lives in retreat.

[Retreat from the systems that hinder our inner knowing,

Retreat from the noise that drowns out our inner voice

Retreat from the dissonant expectations that stifle our deepest desires

And remember, remember, remember the belonging, the value, the support, the inspiration, the love, the wholeness that is already yours

That pulses in your veins and rests in your marrow

That lives in you]

All levels welcome.

Donation based.

Slow Flow & Somatic Integration: a practice for coming home to the heart; the wise, compassionate Self; a source of resilience; an ocean of gratitude.

*Slow Flow: slow, mindful movement and breath to deepen awareness, presence, and connection.

*Somatic Care: a gentle opportunity for caring for the behaviors, beliefs, and feelings held in the body, soaking them in the support of the heart.

*Concluding in spiritual exploration through a meditation practice to deeply feel gratitude and reconcile internal and external fragmentation.

All levels welcome.

Spots limited.

At Cowee School.

The end of October/beginning of November is the halfway point between the Fall Equinox and Winter Solstice.

Historically celebrated as the New Year in many ancient Celtic cultures.

Tis and twas a time of mystical experience and mythical exploration.

As the veil thins and the density between the seen and unseen dwindle, the otherworldly realms evoke the part of us experiencing decay and eventual resurrection.

With loss, there is grief.

With loss, there is newfound space.

With loss, comes resurrection

With loss, life takes on a different shape.

With loss, potential bubbles in the cauldron.

With loss, old walls crumble.

With loss, the foundation can be rebuilt.

With loss, love deepens and expands.

With loss, life thrives.

This class will move through a gentle, restorative Yoga practice with plenty of space to feel into and breathe into what is in decay and what potential lives in its place.

There will be time for meditation to sip from the holy grail of wholeness and enoughness so that we may remember our most essential truths.

In conclusion, we will explore communion with the unseen and the cosmic intelligence that nurtures life through a tarot reading, self-inquiry, embodiment, and intimate dialogue.

Please bring something to write on or with and an empty mug for a caffeine free herbal tea.

All levels welcome.

Donations can be made online or in-person.

Space is limited.

Location: Cowee School in Franklin, NC

<3

Join us for an intentional practice as we shift into Autumn and welcome a new season of potential and medicinal properties

Autumn marks the transition from long, warm, sunny, lively, robust days of Summer to crisp mornings, dwindling daylight, cozy weather, wood-burning fires, decay, and permission to slow down.

In most authentic wisdom traditions and spiritual practices, the seasons were a reference point and compass for navigating our own lived experience and internal world.

This practice will be an intentional flow of slow movement, breath-work, mindfulness, mantra meditation, cacao ceremony, and somatic integration to explore what invitations Autumn has for you.

If you are feeling the call to reintegrate a more holistic approach to your life, well-being, and spirituality, this is a lovely, accessible opportunity.

Ashlyn will be guiding the movement, meditation, and somatic integration portion of class and Narda will be facilitating the cacao ceremony and holding space.

If you are unfamiliar with the purpose of a cacao ceremony, Narda has shared a beautiful description:

Cacao has been used in the ceremonies of many American ancient tribes long before we learned how to make chocolate out of it. It has many health benefits that have been proven by cacao takers to support our physical and energetic bodies. Cacao takes root from South and Central America where the ancient Mayan civilization occupied the Western land of the Andes Mountains. The aroma and magical benefits of the cacao trees captured the attention of the Mayan tribe. The ancient Mayans of Belize treated cacao as the “Food of the God” under the name “Theobroma cacao”. “Theo” stands for “food” and “Broma” stands for “God”.

Benefits of Cacao: heart opener, heightens meditation, nurtures creativity, elevates energy, clears the mind, cultivates peace.

About Narda:

Medicine Woman • Healer • Facilitator

Narda was born in Ecuador, as an Incan descendant her gifts come to light and her heart expands full of joy every time she gets to cultivate her daily Sun gazing/movement along with gentle yoga practices and meditation in Nature first thing in the morning. She is a Kambo Practitioner, tonic herb enthusiast, raw food/ vegan, and Ayurvedic advocate. Narda also regularly hosts cacao ceremonies with Origen cacao and Mandala chocolate.

Things to be mindful of: This medicine is non psychoactive. If you take heart medications or antidepressants be advised it might make your heart beat faster or (don’t intake ). It will may make you dehydrated a little bit so drink plenty of water before and after.

All levels welcome.

Donation-based (you can pay online when reserving your spot or you can select the option to pay later and pay in-person).

Spots limited.

Pre-registration encouraged so we know how much cacao to make.